Surface cleaning tool



June 25, 1940. E DUNBAR 2,205,877

SURFACE CLEANING TOOL Filed Sept. 17, 1937 Inventor: Ralph E. Dunbar,

His Attorney.

lph E. bar, East Cleveland, Ohio, gnor i to Electric Vacu @leer Com, inc, Cleveland, (Ohio, at cooration oi New Yorh Application September 17, 193?,Serlni No. 164,369

1 Clai.

The present invention relates to surface cleaning tools of the type having a suction nozzle for removing dirt from the surface being cleaned.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction in surface cleaning tools of this type. and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claim appended thereto.

. iii In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a perspective view of the surface cleaning tool embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation showing the cleaning tool in its normal position while cleaning a floor covering; Fig. 3

is a sectional elevation showing the cleaning tool in a tilted position; Fig. i is a sectional view taken on line M of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Referring to the drawing, there is shown a cleaning tool which comprises a suction nozzle 2 having front and rear surface contacting lips 2 and 3. As shown in Fig. 4, the ends of the lips are lower than the intermediate portions. During use, the intermediate portions of the nozzle on lips are therefore supported slightly above the surface being cleaned. it the nozzle is used for cleaning a door covering, the floor covering will therefore be raised from the door (Fig. 2) against the intermediate portions of the nozzle lips and I fill will, accordingly, be subjected to flexing as the nozzle is moved across the floor covering. The flexing of the floor covering assists in loosening the embedded dirt so that the dirt is more effectively removed by the suction.

to On the rear side of the nozzle is a downwardly facing recess 3 formed by end and rear walls 5 integral with the nozzle. In the recess is a brush comprising bristles t fixed in a backing member 17. The brush is supported in the recess byscrews w t threaded into bosses t in the top walls of the faces it on a slide it arranged in the grooves and having its lower edge bearing on the top of the backing member l. By moving the slide it to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, the brush is iorced outward in the recess against the force of the springs iii. When the slide is moved to s the right, the springs it move the brush tinward and hold it against the lower edge of the slide. The inclined surfaces id and it are in efiect wedge or cam members. The slide it is held in the adjusted position by a thumb screw it which to projects through an inclined slot it in the rear wall of the recess. When the thumb screw is tightened, the slide it is clamped against the rear side of the groovesldd and frictionally held in position. With this arrangement the brush 116 has a light brushing sheet on the floor covering. When a heavier brushing eflect is desired, for example, in order to remove lint, the tubular hen die is lowered, tilting the suction nozzle to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position the suc- 0 tion nozzle is supported by the bristles 5 and the front and rear nozzle lips are raised slightly above the floor covering. Since the full weight of the suction nozzle rests on the bristles a vigorous brushing action is obtained which will 25 loosen any lint. The brushing action may be increased by exerting a downward pressure on the handle it. At the same time, there is a considerable lnrush of air around the nozzle lips which entralns the loosened lint. The great- 3% or portion of this air inrush occurs around the front nozzle of the lip since this lip is lifted further due to the pivoting about the bristles of the brush.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a vacuum cleaner, a surface cleaning toolhaving a suction nozzle. provided with front and rear surface engaging lips, walls providing a downwardly facing recess in the rear of the sucac tion nozzle, a brush in the recess, spring means urging the brush upward in the recess, cooperating wedge members serving as an adjustable abutment limiting upward movement of the brush. one of said members being movable and it having a part projecting through the rear wall of the recess for holding itin its adjusted position, said brush serving as a support for the tool when the tool is tilted to raise the front lip of the nozzle from the suriace being cleaned. so 

